


Even Ilum, A Star

by idrilhadhafang



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Ben Solo Lives, Fridge Horror, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Innocence Vs. Evil, M/M, Minor Finn/Rey (Star Wars), Post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Science Fiction, Second Chances, Weird Fluff, What Happened To Those Snoke Clones?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:33:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25042447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: It’s returning to the place he originally died that Ben Solo has to confront an old wound.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Ben Solo, Poe Dameron/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Kudos: 5
Collections: The Darkpilot Library





	Even Ilum, A Star

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

“Welcome back to Exegol,” Poe said softly. He turned towards Ben. “It's...something else, isn’t it, Ben? It’s different on the ground.”

Ben nodded. He couldn’t deny that it was different here, stepping back into Exegol’s ruins. They didn’t have to kill anyone or anything. They just needed to see if there was anything that could be saved. 

Even Ilum was now a star. 

”I remember this place,” he said. “I remember thinking that conquering the galaxy would give me closure...” Even remembering it was still enough to make him feel like he was being crushed with the memory of every mistake he made, and he looked away from Poe. If he had done this. If he had done that. If. 

Poe squeezed his hand. Next to him, Ben saw Finn (odd to call him that, to call him a friend) squeeze Rey’s hand. To think that she had been so resistant to touch when she started out. They’d all changed a lot. 

Entering the chamber, Ben looked up at the tanks containing the multiple Snokes. Multiple. Palpatine had said he’d made Snoke. Ben didn’t want to feel sorry for the man who had humiliated him and put him down time and time again...

But he thought of that line. “ _I made Snoke_...”

This was where Snoke was born. This was where he had been raised, in darkness, probably never knowing touch or affection. Ben knew his grandfather hadn’t been treated kindly by Palpatine, and Palpatine had made Anakin as much as he had Snoke. Had Snoke been mistreated? Slapped, dangled over rocks, electrocuted? Dark Side training...being a Dark Sider meant pain and loneliness. 

”They didn’t even see sunlight, did they?” Rey said. 

Ben turned to his cousin. “Exegol probably doesn’t have sunlight. This was where Snoke was...made.”

Finn spoke. “This isn’t his first time with clones, is it?”

”No. You could say our late monarch has a fascination with playing a god. Creating.” Ben sighed. “Plagueis, his late master...he taught him how to manipulate midichlorians. To sustain life, or to create a pregnancy. My grandfather...” He trailed off. He could feel nothing but sorrow for Shmi Skywalker. “You could say that technically, I am a Palpatine as well.”

Poe squeezed Ben’s hand again. Ben turned to him, smiled. Then, grimly, turning back to the clones. “Compassion isn’t just for fallen Skywalkers. Let’s get these clones a home.”

***

It took a Republic capital ship to take the rest of the clones. There was one that came with Ben, Poe, Rey and Finn: a female child clone. Apparently, she didn’t have a name. Was Snoke the only one who got named?

”We can’t just leave her nameless,” Finn said on the Falcon, in hyperspace. “I mean...it’s just cruel. Just reducing her to an experiment.”

“We could name her Shara,” Poe said. “After my mother.”

Ben smiled. “What if Shara was her middle name? Vee Shara.”

”Huh. Could work.” Then Poe said, “It’s because of Voe, right?”

”For my part.” Voe had been tragic, Ben thought. She didn’t have to be a perfectionist, to hate herself. She did anyway. 

”Welcome to the family, Vee Shara.” Ben said. 

Silence. 

”Technically,” Poe said lightly, “We could call her Vee Shara Skywalker-Solo-Windu-Dameron.”

Ben snorted. “Yes, Poe. Yes, we can.”


End file.
